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Advice for an EctoMorph?



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  #1  
Old 06-07-2010, 08:57 PM
CamaroSS CamaroSS is offline
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Default Advice for an EctoMorph?

Didnt know exactly where to put this..but hello everyone. I am 17 years old, 5'7, 117ish pounds (I know, under weight) and an ectomorph. Meaning I have a very fast metabolism and am naturally a skinny guy. I have never lost a pound or gained one for like 2 years no matter what I eat. I have always had that kinda six pack look though, and moderate muscular arms you know, I kill myself doing push ups and sit ups. You couldnt tell Im that skinny unless you weigh me haha.

But this does not show in my street clothes. Only when I take my shirt off do people see my abs or arms you know? I want to change this, I have recently started going to the gym frequently lifting heavy weights trying to gain serious mass so my arms fill out my shirt and I get impressive shoulders.

I went to the GNC 2 days ago and they gave me Pump Fuel, and this thing called Amplified Mass XXX. The AmpMass supposedly is supposed to give me alot of mass and help me out gaining weight and the pump fuel is a pre workout thing with creatine and things.

These 3 weeks I have been mistakenly focusing on my biceps and triceps thinking that was correct, but I just learned that in order to get very muscular you need to do compound exercises like bench press and other things like pull ups.

These two days I have been taking the AmpMass I notice some difference, although not entirely positive. For the first time in my entire life I would say, I am noticing a thin layer of fat on my stomach when I sit forward. I was shocked like what the hell? I dont know if I should keep taking this, it is a rather disgusting flavor and formula. But I am not sure. The Pump Fuel is great though, gives me energy.

Anyway, what do you guys suggest, what type of workout to get me an impressive upper body? Not worried about legs that much but I will obviously have to get better legs if I get better upper body. Should I do more weights less reps? Or what kind of particular work outs.

My schedule is somewhat random, Monday more or less Arms, Tuesday chest, Wednesday shoulders, Thursday abs. Friday Saturday Sunday rest. But I think this is not correct.

Anyway sorry for this long paragraph, hope you can help. thank you.

I have included pictures so you get a basic idea of where I am at.


http://img200.imageshack.us/img200/7117/0607002145.jpg
http://img571.imageshack.us/img571/3401/0607002144.jpg
http://img441.imageshack.us/img441/7899/mail3.jpg
http://img28.imageshack.us/img28/4949/mail2eo.jpg

Couple are flexing couple not.
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  #2  
Old 06-08-2010, 05:44 AM
EricT EricT is offline
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I'll let the others give more specific advice. I want to stick to some of the ideas you have presented that I think are the crux of your problem.

I'll do it in numbered format

1. You are not an ectomorph. You actually look great and as you say, you are muscular. Even if somatotyping was scientific, which it is not, you wouldn't really fit the profile.

However, somatotyping is pseudoscience bunk and goes no where near providing a foundation from which to give mass building advice.

Get rid of the labels now and it will save you a lot of aggravation in the future. Once you gain 50 pounds and go around calling yourself an ectormorph you'll just look like a boob anyway, lol.

2. "I have a fast metabolism". This is related to the ectomorph label. People who do not gain weight and are "skinny" tell themselves they are an ectomorph and that they eat and eat and eat but never gain a pound (or lose a pound which is good).

I guarantee you do NOT eat as much as you think you do. Start journaling your food intake and tracking your calories. Forget supplements for now and stick to getting your diet in check which for you is going to be about eating more.

3. You haven't really trained for mass AT ALL based on what you've said. Pullups are great and if you want to do bench press and all of that but do not just focus on upper body. If you lay a foundation now that includes lots of lower body work your results will be better in the future.

4. Yes, your schedule is all wrong and yes you were wrong to focus on biceps and triceps. Pullups and bench alone won't cut it either although that would be a big improvement. Pushups are great btw and you don't need to stop doing them but they have limited mass building potential unless you can up the difficulty level.

5. I can understand why you would want people to see that you had some muscle even in your strength clothes. But if you think about it, you are just blessed with some natural lean mass. I'm not saying you haven't done anything but it doesn't sound like you've put in tons of hard work. And it will be hard work.


From what I can see and from what I've read, this is a fairly simple fix. You have a good place from which to start you just haven't actually started yet.
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If you act sanctimonious I will just list out your logical fallacies until you get pissed off and spew blasphemous remarks.
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  #3  
Old 06-08-2010, 02:57 PM
CamaroSS CamaroSS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EricT View Post
I'll let the others give more specific advice. I want to stick to some of the ideas you have presented that I think are the crux of your problem.

I'll do it in numbered format

1. You are not an ectomorph. You actually look great and as you say, you are muscular. Even if somatotyping was scientific, which it is not, you wouldn't really fit the profile.

However, somatotyping is pseudoscience bunk and goes no where near providing a foundation from which to give mass building advice.

Get rid of the labels now and it will save you a lot of aggravation in the future. Once you gain 50 pounds and go around calling yourself an ectormorph you'll just look like a boob anyway, lol.

2. "I have a fast metabolism". This is related to the ectomorph label. People who do not gain weight and are "skinny" tell themselves they are an ectomorph and that they eat and eat and eat but never gain a pound (or lose a pound which is good).

I guarantee you do NOT eat as much as you think you do. Start journaling your food intake and tracking your calories. Forget supplements for now and stick to getting your diet in check which for you is going to be about eating more.

3. You haven't really trained for mass AT ALL based on what you've said. Pullups are great and if you want to do bench press and all of that but do not just focus on upper body. If you lay a foundation now that includes lots of lower body work your results will be better in the future.

4. Yes, your schedule is all wrong and yes you were wrong to focus on biceps and triceps. Pullups and bench alone won't cut it either although that would be a big improvement. Pushups are great btw and you don't need to stop doing them but they have limited mass building potential unless you can up the difficulty level.

5. I can understand why you would want people to see that you had some muscle even in your strength clothes. But if you think about it, you are just blessed with some natural lean mass. I'm not saying you haven't done anything but it doesn't sound like you've put in tons of hard work. And it will be hard work.


From what I can see and from what I've read, this is a fairly simple fix. You have a good place from which to start you just haven't actually started yet.

Thanks for the great response Eric.

I just think it is a little weird that I am this underweight but dont really look like it.

If I havent been focusing on mass what can I do? Is there a program for mass?

And yes I have always been this way havent really put it much work at all.
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Old 06-09-2010, 05:06 AM
EricT EricT is offline
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Well who says your underweight? A chart? That's the thing. It's only "weird" if you think there is a normal weight you should be. You may still be growing, btw!
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Old 06-09-2010, 03:10 PM
CamaroSS CamaroSS is offline
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Quote:
Originally Posted by EricT View Post
Well who says your underweight? A chart? That's the thing. It's only "weird" if you think there is a normal weight you should be. You may still be growing, btw!
Well ya the chart, the doctor, and my bmi, height to weight ratio
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Old 06-09-2010, 06:07 PM
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According to my BMI I'm obese. My dad is at a "healthy" body weight according to his doctor & those charts, but he's out of shape and has a pot belly. I'm in decent shape & at a relatively low body fat percentage and he calls me fat. Don't worry about those numbers you mentioned...in many cases they don't mean a thing. They're mostly just used for screening.
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Old 06-10-2010, 04:56 AM
EricT EricT is offline
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^^^^Especially by health insurance companies.
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Old 06-10-2010, 06:46 PM
CamaroSS CamaroSS is offline
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Well after a week and a half of the supplements I have gained 10 pounds of I would hope, muscle. Feels weird. No difference in my body except my arms are a bit larger haha. So I am now officially 126ish pounds

Maybe this has potential
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Old 06-11-2010, 01:31 PM
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10 pounds of muscle in 1.5 weeks would be well beyond guiness book of world records muscle building i bet you put on some water weight
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  #10  
Old 06-11-2010, 03:35 PM
CamaroSS CamaroSS is offline
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Quote:
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10 pounds of muscle in 1.5 weeks would be well beyond guiness book of world records muscle building i bet you put on some water weight
I checked again today and I am 120 pounds haha I dont know what happened
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